Escaping the Holocaust: Illegal Immigration to the Land of Israel, 1939-1944 (Studies in Jewish History)

Illegal Jewish immigration to Palestine prior to the founding of the State of Israel forms one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of Zionism and modern Jewish history. Bringing Jews from Europe to Palestine by land and by sea in defiance of restrictive British immigration policies was partly an undertaking of national rescue and partly a calculated strategy of political brinksmanship. In this compelling analysis, Ofer examines various illegal immigration and rescue efforts organized by the Palestinian Jewish community in both the beginning and latter phases of the war. Making exhaustive use of archival sources, Ofer provides invaluable insight into the struggles of the immigrants, the activists and supporters of the movement, the logistical obstacles, and the political forces working to halt or exploit the flow of refugees.